Conceptually I would be thinking along the lines of 'backfilling' voids with an etchable or particle sensitive material that can be removed after cut and bond. Sort of like making concrete pillars and filling the voids with plaster and etching out the plaster on completion, but with deposition or thermal (or laser?) process, -- chemical (e.g. etching) probably not an option at the back-end processing after wafer cut??? (No I never smoked pot at Berkeley, never even been to Berkeley <wink>)

Interesting presentation and great topic ...

Thanks for archiving these sessions, this is one I wish I were able to attend live ...

Like to understand more on the reliability testing on MEMS and reliability criteira. Unlike silicon devices, MEMS is a electro mechanical structure, many reliability is related to the mechancial strength degradation rather than a electrical parametric shift. How and what standard MEMS reliability we have today ? What organization is helping to define this standard ?

Lots of questions about standards - yes, there are a lot of people trying to figure out how best to create and implement standards. It's a tricky question. You'll see in my slides Tue-Thur about how many different ways there are to make even just one device, like a gyroscope. The problem with MEMS is that you need to have vertical features, and to get a certain vertical feature, you need a specific process step. So the design dictates the process and vice versa. I think the most likely scenario is that we will standardize process modules, or process steps. Think standardized Lego blocks that can be put in any order to create a given device.

Later this week, I'll be discussing all kinds of MEMS sencors and actuators.

Someone asked about reliability - MEMS are very reliable devices - once they've been properly developed and tested, of course. Silicon is as strong as steel, and doesn't have a fatigue process like metals do *(there have been some rare exceptions observed, but it's generally not a problem for commercial devices)

still got problems with audio, maybe you can arrnage pre system test. Checked both my machines since logging in to webinar desktop will not play any audio now, laptop ok but still could not get lesson audio,

You mentioned that the production of MEMS is basically locked up by a number of big players in the industry, but there is still a lot of room for innovation and small ventures to participate. Please elaborate on these opportunities.

Dr. Fitzgerald: You mentioned 40 or so MEMS in Audis and BMWs, especially in airbags and tire pressure sensing. Other than those two, and in electronic stability control, which automotive systems are using those 40 MEMS?

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